


Hurry Up and Slow Me Down

by BreTheWriter



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-09
Updated: 2014-07-09
Packaged: 2018-02-08 02:11:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1922820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BreTheWriter/pseuds/BreTheWriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>You have three hearts,</i> the alien tells Spock. Spock has no idea what it means...but he is beginning to figure it out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hurry Up and Slow Me Down

Spock manages to convince the captain to remain behind for once, allowing him to lead the small landing party that will constitute first contact. He beams down to the planet with Sulu and an ensign newly graduated from the Academy to find a representative of the alien race waiting calmly for him. The creatures are blue, quadrupeds rather than bipeds, with vaguely humanoid torsos, wide-set eyes, antennae, and short arms ending in three fingers. They have no mouths.

 _Greetings._  The voice sounds in Spock’s head. Sulu and the ensign both look taken aback, so Spock knows he is not imagining it; however, he keeps his expression impassive. Of course, creatures with no mouths must have other methods of communication. Telepathy is not unheard of.

"Greetings," Spock replies. "I am Commander Spock, of the starship  _Enterprise._ This is Lieutenant Sulu and Ensign Walters. We come in peace.”

 _I am Oxaam, of the Lasura._  The creature in the lead—flanked by what seem to be bodyguards—tilts its head to one side.  _Never before have we met a creature with three hearts. Most intriguing, Commander Spock. This is common among your species?_

Spock’s eyebrows draw together in a frown. “I do not understand, Oxaam. Both humans and Vulcans have one heart each.”

 _Yet I see three hearts in you._  Oxaam’s head turns to look at Sulu.  _And this one, he has two._  It turns to the ensign.  _Yet he has only one._

Spock glances at Sulu, who seems bewildered. Before either of them can say a word, Oxaam speaks again.  _Yes…perhaps I understand._

Suddenly Spock feels a sharp pain in his mind. He knows what it is—a mind-probe. He tries to erect a mental barrier, not certain what is happening, but before he can, the probe is withdrawn. Sulu flinches, putting a hand to his head, and Spock reaches over to steady him. Then Oxaam turns to the ensign. Its expression never changes—placid, docile, and totally harmless—but the ensign gets a blank look on his face and pulls out his communicator.

"Walters to  _Enterprise._  One to beam up,” he says in a flat voice.

Before Spock can say or do anything, the beam effect surrounds the ensign and he disappears. Spock turns to Oxaam. “What is this?”

Oxaam looks back at Spock with the tilt of its head again.  _You are not Bonded?_

"I beg your pardon?" Spock is puzzled.

_One of your hearts, the fragile one, just began to beat at an increased rate. Yet the other two did not change their pace. You are not Bonded._

Spock is thoroughly confused now. “Oxaam, I do not know of what you speak. I have but one heart.”

Oxaam tilts its head a little further. Something in its eyes suggest that it is smiling.

A moment later, Spock hears the faint sounds of the transporter and turns to see three figures materializing—Kirk, McCoy, and Chekov. Spock, who has learned over the course of this mission to admit to emotion on occasion, feels a mingling of regret—because he had hoped to keep the captain from leaving the  _Enterprise_ —and relief.

"Spock!" Kirk strides over quickly, his face creased in concern. "Are you all right?" he asks quietly once he has reached Spock’s side.

Spock nods quickly. “We are both fine, Captain.”

Oxaam tilts its head again.  _Now you are complete,_  it says simply.  _Now we may begin. Come._

"Wait. What the devil is going on?" McCoy looks confused and irritated. Yet Spock has come to know the doctor well, and knows that the irritation is covering up genuine concern.

_We wish to honor your people, _Oxaam explains. _We wish to discuss and negotiate. First you must rest, and we will speak properly afterwards. Perhaps we can assist you with your Bonding. I am Oxaam, of the Lasura. Come.___

Oxaam begins walking away. Left with little alternative, the small party from the _Enterprise_  follows him. Spock notes that Sulu and Chekov are walking very close to one another, talking quietly, the younger man’s eyes fixed unswervingly on the elder. Something inside of him wishes he had a poet’s skills.

Kirk speaks very quietly. “Spock, what’s going on down here?”

"I do not know, Captain." Spock also keeps his voice as low as possible. "Oxaam seems to be under the impression that both Mr. Sulu and I have multiple hearts. He has given very little explanation beyond that."

Kirk looks just as puzzled as Spock feels. “Bones, you’d tell me if anyone on the crew had a genetic abnormality like that, wouldn’t you?”

"If I thought it was any of your business, yes," McCoy retorts. "But in this case, I can tell you that I’ve examined both Sulu and Spock multiple times, and they both have the one requisite heart."

Kirk shakes his head in bewilderment.

They reach a low, curved building with a grassy floor and smooth, airy spaces. Two more Lasura come out. Oxaam’s antennae turn towards them, and they appear to have a conversation the  _Enterprise_  crew is not privy to before Oxaam looks back at them.  _This is Ta’lon, my oldest son, and De’leen, my Second Heart. They will show you to a place where you can rest._  He bows and strides off.

Kirk nods for the men to follow the two Lasura. Before long, they arrive at two doors next to one another. Ta’lon opens one and looks over at Sulu and Chekov as De’leen opens the other door. Spock hears its (her?) voice in his head.  _The three of you may rest here._

Chekov gives Kirk a slightly panicked look. Kirk hesitates, then nods quickly. “It’s all right, Mr. Chekov,” he says quietly. “We’ll be here if you need us.”

The two men follow Ta’lon into the other room as Spock, Kirk, and McCoy follow De’leen into the other. There is one curved couch that seems comfortable. De’leen indicates it.  _I hope you will be comfortable here._

"Thank you," Kirk says.

De’leen starts to leave, then stops, tilting its head at McCoy. Spock hears nothing, but suddenly McCoy’s face drains of color and he stiffens.

"Bones?" Kirk reaches for McCoy anxiously.

McCoy speaks in a tight voice, obviously ignoring Kirk. “We humans…don’t have the ability to see into another’s heart. We just have to take our chances and hope we get it right. I didn’t.”

De’leen looks at him for a moment longer. McCoy becomes, if possible, even paler, but says nothing. De’leen nods at the others and leaves, the  _click_  of the door seeming unnaturally loud.

"Bones," Kirk says again, urgently. "Sit down before you pass out."

McCoy allows Kirk to tug him down onto the curved sofa. Spock sits on his other side, trying to suppress his emotions but unable to conceal his worry. “Doctor, is something the matter? What did De’leen ask you?”

"She—it—asked why I was ‘Bonded’ to someone who didn’t share my heart," McCoy says quietly. "She was talking about Jocelyn. After I told her I didn’t get it right…she said that she was glad to see I was gettin’ it right this time. I don’t know what she meant."

Kirk also looks confused, but Spock thinks he is beginning to understand. Quietly, he asks, “If I may, Captain? Why did you beam down?”

"Huh? Oh." Kirk shakes his head. "When Walters called for a beam-up alone, I figured he’d been hurt or something, so I went down to the transporter room to meet him. I asked him what was going on, and he said in this flat, blank voice, ‘You, Dr. McCoy, and Lieutenant Chekov need to beam down immediately, sir.’ That was all he would say. It was like he’d been hypnotized. I called Bones and Chekov and they got there as quickly as they could. I…I didn’t know what had happened to you. All I could think of was that something had gone wrong. I know I promised I’d stay on the ship for this one, but…" His voice trails off.

"I am glad you came." The sentence slips out before Spock can stop it. Kirk stares at him.

McCoy sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Think I’m beginning to understand this multiple-hearts thing. Spock, what  _exactly_  did Oxaam say to you about your hearts?”

Spock looks at McCoy and sees in the man’s tired hazel eyes that he truly has realized what is going on. Quietly, he says, “At first, Oxaam only said that I had three hearts and Lieutenant Sulu had two, while Ensign Walters had only one. It then said that it understood and probed both my mind and Sulu’s before, presumably, implanting instructions in Mr. Walters’ brain. After some moments, Oxaam turned back to me and stated that I was not ‘Bonded.’ When I requested clarification, it explained that the rate of one of my hearts had sped up, while the other two remained normal.”

McCoy looks at Kirk. “Jim? Did your heart start racing at any point?”

"Well, yeah," Kirk says, obviously confused. "When Walters came up alone and just said I had to beam down immediately…" He looks up at Spock, and his expression softens slightly. "I was scared to death. Thought something had happened to you."

"That’s it, then," McCoy says softly. "Remember what Oxaam called De’leen? His _Second Heart._  That’s the literal translation into Standard, but I’m willing to bet it actually means  _spouse._ ”

"Spouse?" Kirk repeats, his eyes widening as he looks from McCoy to Spock and back.

"I believe there is a Vulcan word that comes closer," Spock says. " _T’hy’la._  It means—”

"Friend, brother, or lover," Kirk completes.

“‘And’ would be a slightly more accurate conjunction.”

Kirk looks up at Spock. “So—there are two people you have that kind of connection with, or that Oxaam and his people think you do. But why did they insist on beaming us down?”

Spock remembers Oxaam’s description of the heart that had started beating faster:  _the fragile one._  Somehow, he suspects that that is not a physical symptom, but an emotional one. Spock has learned something of Kirk’s past over their years of service on the  _Enterprise,_  and he realizes that Kirk believes he is unworthy of love.

And, for the first time, Spock understands his own heart. It has taken a creature that can literally see into it to make him realize the truth.

"Jim," he says softly. He stretches out his hands to the other two men. "It is  _you_ with whom I feel this bond. It is your heart that Oxaam detected within me—yours and Dr. McCoy’s.”

McCoy reaches over and takes Spock’s hand. Spock feels a roiling mix of emotions from the doctor—fear, relief, affection, concern, and overwhelming love. He grips Kirk’s hand with the other. Kirk flinches slightly. “He’s right, Jim,” he says. “I’ve never said anything before—was afraid of ruining our friendship—but now that it’s out there, I might as well. I think I’ve loved you for a long time. You’re my best friend, and I could never imagine life without you.” He looks up at Spock. “Took me longer to realize how I felt about you, but I know when I first started realizing it—when we were waiting for Jim to wake up after…everything with Khan. I started crying, and you just…put your hand on my shoulder. You didn’t say anything, but you were  _there,_  and I…I felt so much calmer afterwards. Tried to fight it for a while, but over the course of this mission…it’s been harder to ignore.”

Kirk still looks shell-shocked. Spock decides that he needs to be the next to speak. “I, too, have been feeling this coming on for some time,” he says quietly. “I did not, perhaps, understand as well as I could have, but I have noticed for a while that my concern for you—for both of you—often outweighs my concern for any other. I believed that it was only friendship—” he pauses—“or perhaps I  _wished_  to believe so. After all, Lieutenant Uhura and I were together for some time before we ended our relationship, and since my…feelings…for both of you began during that time, I perhaps felt guilty about that. And the further into deep space we have gone, the more I have come to care for you both, very deeply.” He looks at both of them seriously. “After the accident with the transporters last month, and our encounter with the mirror universe, I wished you to stay aboard the  _Enterprise_  as much as possible. I…I am afraid to risk losing either of you again.”

"Jim?" McCoy prompts gently.

Kirk looks away. “I—I—”

Spock feels another surge of emotions from McCoy. He squeezes the doctor’s hand lightly, then says to Kirk, “You need not be afraid,  _ashayam._ " The endearment slides easily from his tongue, drawing Kirk’s attention, his blue eyes wide and vulnerable. "I know you have been hurt before. When describing which of my three hearts was beating more quickly, Oxaam referred to it as ‘the fragile one.’"

"You can trust us, Jim," McCoy says quietly. "We won’t hurt you. We won’t let you down. We love you."

Kirk rocks back as though he has been slapped. Tears suddenly fill his eyes. “I love you, too,” he whispers. He reaches over and grips Spock’s hand tightly as well as holding onto McCoy’s.

If Spock had thought the doctor was in an emotional state, Kirk is worse. He is clearly one step away from falling apart completely, the swirl of conflicting emotions nearly knocking Spock unconscious. Kirk continues speaking, the words rushing out of him in a torrent, as though floodgates have opened. “I think I’ve felt it for both of you for a long time. I  _know_  I fell in love with you almost the minute I met you, Bones, but I tried to hide it, because I knew you’d never love me back, I didn’t—I’m not worth it. Everybody leaves me in the end, nobody loves me enough to stay. I kept waiting for you to leave and you never did. And then I met you, Spock, and I—I  _hated_  you at first, I did, but I came to respect you so much more over that first year we worked together. I think I knew I’d fallen in love with you when we were on Nibiru and Scotty told me you were still in the volcano. I—I tried to fight  _that,_  too, because you were with Uhura and I was sure you’d think my feelings were illogical.” He looks desperately back and forth between Spock and McCoy. “The torpedo, and Khan, and Marcus on the  _Vengeance…_ I spent that entire mission terrified out of my wits that I was going to lose you both. And then I climbed the warp core, got to the bottom, realized I was dying…I wanted you both there so bad, I begged Scotty to comm you both, and Spock, I wanted to tell you that you were so much more than my friend, but I just couldn’t get the words out in time. And then I woke up, and you two were there…you saved me, you brought me back, and you were there for me every step of the way during my recovery. You’ve been there ever since, and I…God, I’ve just been so afraid to say anything because I was sure if I did, you’d both leave.” The tears roll down his face. “I can’t stand that. Not now.”

"Jim," Spock says softly, moving closer to McCoy, to both of them. "We will never leave you. I will never leave either of you."

"Neither will I." McCoy lets go of their hands and stands up. Kirk begins to panic before McCoy sits down again on his other side.

Spock, taking the hint, slides over so that he is right next to Kirk. Without needing to say a word, both he and McCoy wrap their arms around Kirk tightly, holding him close, then grasp each other’s hands. Kirk cries—not from sorrow but from happiness—and the three of them press their foreheads together. Spock knows that the other two, like he himself, are wondering why it took them so long to realize what they felt.

When the Lasura return for them half an hour later, they have no problems whatsoever agreeing to participate in a Bonding.


End file.
